Working group to study feedback, surveys for city's $4.5M Live Music Fund

The Music Commission has formed a working group to evaluate the execution of the second year of the Live Music Fund, which recently awarded $4.5 million to just over 100 musicians, promoters and music venues throughout the area. The group…

Legal questions cause delay in considering changes to petition rules

At Thursday’s City Council meeting, after hearing complaints from two attorneys that a proposed ordinance would violate state law and the city charter, Mayor Kirk Watson announced that the item would be withdrawn. The proposed ordinance would govern petitions for…

Special fund could help Council members respond to neighborhood needs

Under a proposal approved Thursday, City Council members may have the ability next year to fund projects in their districts without following the usual planning and budgeting processes. The resolution, sponsored by Council Member Vanessa Fuentes, directs the city manager…

ECHO's $350M plan offers to 'effectively end' homelessness in Austin

The city is projected to need $35 million annually over a 10-year period to effectively end homelessness via a plan that emphasizes adding hundreds of permanent supportive housing units while also addressing emergency shelter and prevention steps to keep people…

Updated: Austin Energy still considering options to answer to grid growing pains

As its end-of-year deadline approaches, Austin Energy is busy crunching numbers, hoping to finally nail down a much-anticipated update to its Resource, Generation and Climate Protection Plan. Update: Following publication of this story, Austin Energy reached out to the Monitor to let…

Downtown Commission questions scope, cost of core transportation plan

The city has identified improvements to several east-west streets through downtown as priority projects in a new plan to address mobility in the area. Last month, the Downtown Commission got the first look at portions of the Austin Core Transportation…

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TipSheet: Austin City Council, 11.7.24

Well, the show must go on. After a momentous election Tuesday that will also see new Council members in Districts 6, 7 and 10 and probably the return of Mayor Kirk Watson, City Council members are dusting themselves off and…

Watson is ahead in election for Austin mayor, but it's unclear if he'll avoid a runoff

Austin Mayor Kirk Watson is ahead in the city’s mayoral race with just over 50% of the vote, according to unofficial voting totals. It appears the incumbent might be able to eke out an outright win over his four opponents…

Siegel, Bledsoe headed for a runoff in District 7

In a crowded race to represent North Central District 7, none of the six contenders managed to snag 50 percent of the vote. As a result, Mike Siegel and Gary Bledsoe will face off in a runoff next month. Siegel,…

Laine appears to edge out Kelly in race for D6 Council seat

Austin’s District 6 seat for City Council appeared to have been won by challenger Krista Laine, based on unofficial results from Travis and Williamson counties posted early Wednesday morning. Laine held a 704-vote lead over incumbent Mackenzie Kelly, according to…

Duchen clinches narrow win in District 10 election

Although the race was extremely close, at the end of Tuesday night Marc Duchen could claim victory in the District 10 City Council contest over his only opponent, Ashika Ganguly. Duchen finished with 20,731 votes to Ganguly’s 20,227, with only…

Voters pass Austin Independent School District Proposition A

Austin Independent School District Proposition A, a tax rate election, passed with 58 percent of the vote on Nov. 5, resulting in a property tax increase for Austin residents that will invest $41 million in AISD.   The Austin ISD Board…